I read TG isn't totally committed to retirement and could possibly be coaxed back for a year as a mercenary on a SB contending team. Last year he had 83 catches for 859 yds & 8 TDs. WE could REALLY REALLY use him. He could be that final piece of the puzzle. I wish BB would try to get him.

I read TG isn't totally committed to retirement and could possibly be coaxed back for a year as a mercenary on a SB contending team. Last year he had 83 catches for 859 yds & 8 TDs. WE could REALLY REALLY use him. He could be that final piece of the puzzle. I wish BB would try to get him.

as nice as it sounds, we've heard this for 2 years. Its like who do we think we are? Assuming every retired player is the next Seau and is just gushing to play for BB. I personally have never even heard Tony entertain coming here so not sure why it gets brought up every year.

Last week during practice(Hard knocks) Matt Ryan could be heard telling Roddy White after a completion "Thats all day in the slot, nobody covers in there...just ask Tony!.... I still love ya Tony" What I took that to meant is that Tony G is not an elite TE anymore but when you line him up in the slot, its an easy pitch and catch. Weve seen that for years w/ Wes. Seeing as we have Edleman AND Amendola playing the slot, I dont see the need for him. Tony doesnt want to bang like a traditional TE anymore and he is too slow to be Hernandez.

I would like him as a redzone threat(remember BB pressing him w/3 guys at the line?) but not worth a roster spot just for that. Sounds like he just wants to be called if/when the Falcons make the playoffs.

I read TG isn't totally committed to retirement and could possibly be coaxed back for a year as a mercenary on a SB contending team. Last year he had 83 catches for 859 yds & 8 TDs. WE could REALLY REALLY use him. He could be that final piece of the puzzle. I wish BB would try to get him.

He'd be a great get for the Pats...even at his advanced age (relatively speaking, of course).

Sort of off topic, but if Gonzo were to come back and play for a contender he is a huge @sshole. He didn't file his retirement papers and forced the Falcons to cut him. Now if he comes back he can sign with any team instead of honoring the contract he signed.

Sort of off topic, but if Gonzo were to come back and play for a contender he is a huge @sshole. He didn't file his retirement papers and forced the Falcons to cut him. Now if he comes back he can sign with any team instead of honoring the contract he signed.

Sounds like good business sense to me. How was he being an @sshole? If he wanted to play for a certain team, and was still under his Atlanta contract, the Falcons could demand compensation. Such a demand could prevent Gonzo from joining the team of his choice.

I took this excerpt below from the most recent article I could find on Tony G. Seeing as he is gushing over Denver, it seems he is planting the seed for them to come calling when J.Thomas gets hurt(which he will) So for Pats fan, nothing to get excited about and he talks about if he DID join a team it wouldnt feel right getting a ring after not being there to fight all year but I still think there is a chance he would do it. Just not here.

He’s making big predictions for 2014, including a possible undefeated season for the Broncos and a victory for Denver in a Super Bowl rematch, but none of them include a return to playing at the moment. Gonzalez said that he’s already heard from teams interested in a comeback and said no while acknowledging that it would be more difficult to turn down overtures from a contender during the season.

Sounds like good business sense to me. How was he being an @sshole? If he wanted to play for a certain team, and was still under his Atlanta contract, the Falcons could demand compensation. Such a demand could prevent Gonzo from joining the team of his choice.

I think it's a d_bag move to say you are going to retire and then refuse to file your papers just so you can get out of your existing contract. If you want to retire then retire. Otherwise be up front about you want.

Sounds like good business sense to me. How was he being an @sshole? If he wanted to play for a certain team, and was still under his Atlanta contract, the Falcons could demand compensation. Such a demand could prevent Gonzo from joining the team of his choice.

I think it's a d_bag move to say you are going to retire and then refuse to file your papers just so you can get out of your existing contract. If you want to retire then retire. Otherwise be up front about you want.

How do you know that he wasn't "up front" with them? They might have initially told him, "No." So, he found a way to get around their "no". The Falcons should have no complaints about Gonzo. He was a great player for them. Unless he secured his freedom from Atlanta, the Falcons could have successfully blocked him from going to another team, by demanding compensation.

Sounds like good business sense to me. How was he being an @sshole? If he wanted to play for a certain team, and was still under his Atlanta contract, the Falcons could demand compensation. Such a demand could prevent Gonzo from joining the team of his choice.

I think it's a d_bag move to say you are going to retire and then refuse to file your papers just so you can get out of your existing contract. If you want to retire then retire. Otherwise be up front about you want.

Sorry but you are off base on this one. You dont give TG credit for coming out of retirement just for the Falcons last year. He was ready to hang it up but came back for them! So he has every right, if he wants to, to pick where he wants to play. He did them a big favor. No. He is no D bag.

Sounds like good business sense to me. How was he being an @sshole? If he wanted to play for a certain team, and was still under his Atlanta contract, the Falcons could demand compensation. Such a demand could prevent Gonzo from joining the team of his choice.

I think it's a d_bag move to say you are going to retire and then refuse to file your papers just so you can get out of your existing contract. If you want to retire then retire. Otherwise be up front about you want.

he said several teams inquired and he turned them all down as he is "happy to be retired"

Sounds like good business sense to me. How was he being an @sshole? If he wanted to play for a certain team, and was still under his Atlanta contract, the Falcons could demand compensation. Such a demand could prevent Gonzo from joining the team of his choice.

I think it's a d_bag move to say you are going to retire and then refuse to file your papers just so you can get out of your existing contract. If you want to retire then retire. Otherwise be up front about you want.

I agree with PCM and posted this exactly 6 weeks ago. Its a d bag move.

he said several teams inquired and he turned them all down as he is "happy to be retired"

If he stays retired then I have no beef. I do think it would be poor form to claim retirement and then refuse to file your papers to get out of your contract just so you can sign with another team during the next season.

He should of been traded last year when the Falcons were doing really bad so they could of got a draft pick or something else for him. That was a bad decision on their part unless he had a no trade clause in his contract... Just my 2 cents...

he said several teams inquired and he turned them all down as he is "happy to be retired"

If he stays retired then I have no beef. I do think it would be poor form to claim retirement and then refuse to file your papers to get out of your contract just so you can sign with another team during the next season.

if he does comeback and does it like u said then yes definitely agree with you

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall the Falcons just decided to release him. He didn't ask them to. They didn't have to, but they did anyway. If they didn't, his rights would belong to them and there'd be no cap charge as long as he didn't play. He'd have been in a Brian Waters type situation. So, the fact that he's free to sign elsewhere is on the Falcons management, not on the player.

I could be wrong, but I seem to recall the Falcons just decided to release him. He didn't ask them to. They didn't have to, but they did anyway. If they didn't, his rights would belong to them and there'd be no cap charge as long as he didn't play. He'd have been in a Brian Waters type situation. So, the fact that he's free to sign elsewhere is on the Falcons management, not on the player.

you are wrong. Tony G was due a substantial bonus that would have counted against the cap if he was not retired or released. Since Tony G would not retire, the Falcons had no choice otherwise the bonus goes against the cap

So why did the Falcons feel compelled to cut retired tight end Tony Gonzalez on Tuesday?

Per a league source, Gonzalez was due to receive a substantial bonus if on the roster as of Thursday. The Falcons had assumed that Gonzalez would file retirement papers, which would eliminate the bonus.

The only problem? Gonzalez hasn’t filed his retirement papers.

And possibly all that that implies.

It forced the team’s hand. And it now gives Gonzalez maximum flexibility for 2014, in the event he decides to pull a Brett Favre and return. He won’t have to clear waivers, he won’t have to force a trade.

Even if he doesn’t intend to come back, it makes sense that he has put himself in position where he has the widest possible range of options for the coming season.

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I always liked Tony G but I have to admit I have lost a bit of respect for him. Wouldn't mind seeing him here though, but I doubt it'll happen.

So why did the Falcons feel compelled to cut retired tight end Tony Gonzalez on Tuesday?

Per a league source, Gonzalez was due to receive a substantial bonus if on the roster as of Thursday. The Falcons had assumed that Gonzalez would file retirement papers, which would eliminate the bonus.

The only problem? Gonzalez hasn’t filed his retirement papers.

And possibly all that that implies.

It forced the team’s hand. And it now gives Gonzalez maximum flexibility for 2014, in the event he decides to pull a Brett Favre and return. He won’t have to clear waivers, he won’t have to force a trade.

Even if he doesn’t intend to come back, it makes sense that he has put himself in position where he has the widest possible range of options for the coming season.

------------------

I always liked Tony G but I have to admit I have lost a bit of respect for him. Wouldn't mind seeing him here though, but I doubt it'll happen.

The Falcons shouldn't have signed him to that contract then. Or they should have ponied up the bonus money, if they care where he plays. He's not hurting the Falcons by not retiring, I'm not sure why you would lose respect for him?

I always liked Tony G but I have to admit I have lost a bit of respect for him. Wouldn't mind seeing him here though, but I doubt it'll happen.

The Falcons shouldn't have signed him to that contract then. Or they should have ponied up the bonus money, if they care where he plays. He's not hurting the Falcons by not retiring, I'm not sure why you would lose respect for him?

He basically said he was retiring at the end of 2012. Dimitroff and Smith talked him into playing another season last year and all along it was known 2013 would be his last. Then came the off season and he didn't file the papers, forcing the Falcons to release him. I'm not sure if he was trying to get that bonus or he wanted to be released so he could go elsewhere. I don't think he ever told the Falcons he would play for them in 2014 though.